Attachment for varying spray from pressurized containers

ABSTRACT

An attachment for dispensing from pressurized containers such as aerosol cans, in which an outlet member is laterally tipped to dispensing position to open a valve, comprises a member that slips over the conventional outlet member on the container and tips laterally with that outlet member. The attachment comes to rest against the rim of the can and thus limits lateral tipping. The attachment has a peripheral disc whose underside is stepped or inclined, so that depending on which portion of the disc is tilted into contact with the can, the attachment and hence the dispensing outlet of the can will be more or less tilted to control the nature and quantity of discharge, from dropwise to solid stream to pulverization and finally to nebulization.

United States Patent [1 1 Matern [451 May 20, 1975 [76] Inventor: Jean-Jacques-Matern, Villa Henri-Leon Chemin Tanit, 06160 Juan Les Pins, France 22 Filed: July 5,1973

21 App]. No.: 376,908

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data July 6, 1972 France 72.25774 [52] U.S. Cl. ZZZ/402.13; 222/40221 [51] Int. Cl B65d 83/14 [58] Field of Search 222/153, 182, 402.1, 402.11, 222/402.13, 402.15, 402.17, 402.21, 402.22, 402.23, 505, 507, 144.5

3,424,353 1/1969 Meador et a1. ZZZ/402.1 3,456,846 7/1969 Gross 222/1445 3,734,354 5/1973 Gach ZZZ/402.11 X

Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-Francis .1. Bartuska Attorney, Agent, or FirmYoung & Thompson [57] ABSTRACT An attachment for dispensing from pressurized containers such as aerosol cans, in which an outlet member is laterally tipped to dispensing position to open a valve, comprises a member that slips over the conventional outlet member on the container and tips laterally with that outlet member. The attachment comes to rest against the rim of the can and thus limits lateral tipping. The attachment has a peripheral disc whose underside is stepped or inclined, so that depending on which portion of the disc is tilted into contact with the can, the attachment and hence the dispensing outlet of the can will be more or less tilted to control the nature and quantity of discharge, from dropwise to solid stream to pulverization and finally to nebulization.

3 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures 2 ATTACHMENT FOR VARYING SPRAY FROM PRESSURIZED CONTAINERS The present invention relates to dispensers of the pressurized container type in which an outlet member is laterally tilted to open a valve to discharge the contents of the container under pressure. The invention comprises an attachment for such containers, such that the degree of tilting and hence the nature and quantity of the discharge can be nicely controlled.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide such an attachment, which permits close control of the nature and quantity of the discharge from such a container.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of such an attachment, whose position is regulable to predetermine the nature and quantity of discharge from the container.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide such an attachment, which can be quickly and easily applied to and removed from a conventional container without other modification of the conventional container, which will be simple and inexpensive to manufacture, dependable in operation, and rugged and durable in use.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an attachment according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing a form of the attachment in which the order of the abutments is reversed;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the attachment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the attachment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a conventional valve for a container of the type with which the present attachment is useful;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the top of a conventional container with an attachment of the present invention in place thereon;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view of the invention in use, in a position of minimum tilting so that the discharge tends to be dropwise; and

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but showing the attachment in a position of maximum dispensing, in which the discharge tends to be most finely nebulized.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, and first to FIGS. l-3, there is shown an attachment according to the present invention, comprising a body in the general form ofa disc d having an axial tubular portion 1,, which slips on and may have frictional fit with the conventional outlet conduit t of the conventional valve V of a conventional container for liquid or pulverulent material under pressure. The valve V is separately shown in FIG. 5 and is shown in place in such a container in FIGS. 68. The valve has a metallic annular rim a about its periphery that fits over and supports the valve on a margin of the container, in a well-known manner. It is important in the present invention that such an annular rim be present. However, the rim could be on the container itself instead of on the valve; and so when the rim is referred to hereinafter and in the appended claims, as being on the container, it will be understood that reference is had either to a rim on the container itself or to a rim on the valve assembly which in turn is carried by the container.

On the underside of its periphery, disc d carries a plurality of abutments 1, 2, 3 and 4 of different height, that is, the abutments are arranged in a series at progressively different elevations axially of the attachment. In the illustrated embodiment, the abutment 4 is nearest the discharge end of the attachment, and the abutment l is the farthest. Alternatively, the abutments 1-4 could be replaced by a continuous inclined or helical surface.

On the upper side of disc d are grooved finger pieces 1a, 2a, 3a and 4a, each being opposite its corresponding abutment l, 2, 3 or 4, respectively.

With the attachment assembled to the conventional container as shown in FIG. 6, it will be evident that the gap between abutments 1-4 and the rim a is of different size for each abutment. It will also be evident that, by pressing on one of the finger pieces la-4a, the attachment and hence the discharge conduit t can be tilted, as in the direction of the arrow fin FIG. 3. If the finger piece la is pressed, then the smallest gap is closed when the abutment 1 contacts rim a, and the least tilting is effected. This is the position of FIG. 7, in which discharge is only dropwise. If finger piece 2a is pressed, then a greater degree of tilting is effected, until abutment 2 contacts rim a, whereupon for example a continuous liquid stream may be dispensed. If finger piece 3a is pushed and abutment 3 brought into contact with rim 0, then a still greater tilting is effected so that the stream may be pulverulent; while if fingerpiece 4a is pressed and the greatest degree of tilting is effected, then the stream may be finely nebulized.

If it is desired or necessary always to tilt the discharge conduit t of the container in the same direction, then this can be done by rotating the attachment on the container. For this purpose, an index (not shown) or other locating marker can be provided on the container and the attachment can be rotated until the desired finger piece is in registry with the index.

Of course variations may be resorted to. For example, it is not necessary to provide finger pieces. Instead, particularly when the abutment on the underside of the disc is a continuous inclined ramp, pressure can be exerted on any desired portion of the upper surface of the periphery of the disc. Alternatively, pressure need not be exerted on the periphery of the disc at all, but rather can be exerted laterally on the tube t which surrounds the discharge conduit t. The tube 1,, can have friction fit with conduit t or can if desired be screw-threadedly connected thereto or formed integrally therewith. Thus the tube t, constitutes a discharge conduit the same as does the conduit t, and can be in addition to or in lieu of the conduit 1..

From a consideration of the foregoing disclosure, therefore, it will be evident that all of the initially recited objects of the present invention have been achieved.

Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in connection with preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that other modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, as those skilled in this art will readily understand. Such other modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination with a pressurized container of material that is discharged from the container by laterally tilting a valve that is disposed axially of the container, a disc carried by the container coaxially with an annular rim on the container, said disc being in the form of an attachment separable from a discharge conduit of the container and having an integral coaxial tube that fits over said discharge conduit of the container, the

4 disc having a discharge conduit coaxial with the disc for the selective discharge of material therethrough from the interior of the container, and means mounting the disc on the discharge conduit of the container for tilting movement of the disc with said valve, the disc having on its underside confronting and spaced from said rim a plurality of portions that are spaced different distances from the rim measured in a direction parallel to the axis of the container when the valve is closed and the disc is coaxial with the rim, whereby the tilting of different said portions into contact with said rim tilts said valve varying amounts to regulate the nature and quantity of the discharge from the container.

2. Apparatus is claimed in claim 1, said portions being in the form of abutments of different height measured along the axis of said disc.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, and finger pieces on the upper surface of said disc corresponding in location to locations of said abutments. 

1. In combination with a pressurized container of material that is discharged from the container by laterally tilting a valve that is disposed axially of the container, a disc carried by the container coaxially with an annular rim on the container, said disc being in the form of an attachment separable from a discharge conduit of the container and having an integral coaxial tube that fits over said discharge conduit of the container, the disc having a discharge conduit coaxial with the disc for the selective discharge of material therethrough from the interior of the container, and means mounting the disc on the discharge conduit of the container for tilting movement of the disc with said valve, the disc having on its underside confronting and spaced from said rim a plurality of portions that are spaced different distances from the rim measured in a direction parallel to the axis of the container when the valve is closed and the disc is coaxial with the rim, whereby the tilting of different said portions into contact with said rim tilts said valve varying amounts to regulate the nature and quantity of the discharge from the container.
 2. Apparatus is claimed in claim 1, said portions being in the form of abutments of different height measured along the axis of said disc.
 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, and finger pieces on the upper surface of said disc corresponding in location to locations of said abutments. 